Tape applying iron



magnum Oct. lll, 1949. R. w. HILLER ET AL TAPE APPLYING IRON Filed June 20, 1945 Patented Oct. 11," 1949 TAPE APPLYING IRON Robert W. Hiller, Emsworth,

and Walter L. Davidson, Bellevue, Pa., assignors to Bravo Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pa.,

Sylvania a corporation yof Penn- Application June 20, 1945, Seria-l No. 600,570

. 3 Claims. 1

This invention is for anv velectrically heated instrument of the type generally referred to as an iron, and is rfor an instrument of this character especially designed for use in applying tape which carries a thermally active resin t insulation panels, building panel-s and the like.

In the construction of ships as well as various other structures, insulating panels may be installed in walls, vbulk-heads, under decks or floors,

and like places. -Stripping 'tape having a resin coated surface is applied over and along the joints of these insulating panels, the resin being one which is rendered active by application of heat. This tape is applied to a very large extent to vertical, and overhead surfaces, and around many intricate surfaces, as encountered for eX- ample on the underside of a ships deck, and in corners.

The object of the present invention is to provide an electrically heated tool having various operative surfaces for effective use under all conditions which are encountered.

Our invention may be fully understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan View of a tool our invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, thereof; and

Fig. 3 is a transverse section in the plane of line III-III of Fig. 2.

in the drawings, 2 designates a metal shoe, aluminum preferably being employed. It is preferably of rectangular or substantially rectangular shape, being long and narrow, preferably with substantially square ends and vertical side walls except at the nose which may be vertically rounded to a slight extent. It is formed with a recess 3 in its top surface, its bottom surface being flat. This recess is almost coextensive in area with the top of the plate, leaving only narrow upstanding margins around the four edges of the recess.

Within the recess 3 is an electric heating element 4, which is of any known or preferred type, such for example as those used in electric sad irons, but being long and narrow to substantially cover the bottom of the recess 3. There may be mica or molded insulation, as is Well understood in the art, this insulation being designated 5.

Secured over the top of the shoe is a flat metal plate 6 that is coextensive in area with the shoe, and its side edges preferably form continuations of the side edges of the shoe. Secured to this cover plate, well back from the front embodying partly in section,

end of the tool, isa casing 1 that houses a conventional thermostat vof any Well known or preferred type, the thermostat being well known and forming no part per se of our invention.

At the rear of the top of the tool is an inverted box-like cover or housing 8, this housing having a base flange 9 that rests on and is secured to plate ii, the housing partly, at least, covering the thermostat, except for adjusting knob l0, and the terminals H and l2 for the heater.

An angular metal bracket I3 is secured by screws to the top of the housing 8, and to this bracket is attached a hollow handle I4 which is preferably made of wood or plastic or like material which is both a poor conductor of heat and a non conductor of electricity. An extension cord It passes through this handle, the inner end of the extension cord also passing through an insulator bushing I6 in the housing. One wire of the cord is connected, in the conventional manner, to heater terminal Il and the other to the thermostat and from the thermostat to the other terminal l2.

The tool as thus typically constructed has a flat long narrow bottom ironing surface. The long flat projecting top deck portion I1, which is of less effective length than the bottom surface, constitutes another ironing service which is of great utility, particularly in crevice locations. The long flat side walls of the iron are also useful in corners, as for example where the tape is folded at a corner.

The tool, while being of great utility, is relatively inexpensive. Small screws at places where there is no interference with the iron, hold the top and shoe together. The inclined handle is of convenience in manipulating the tool on overhead and vertical surfaces, while passing the extension cord through the handle keeps it away from the iron.

WhileV we have shown one preferred embodiment of our invention, it will be understood that Various changes and modifications may be made therein.

We claim:

1. A tape applying tool of the class described comprising an elongated narrow shoe having a iiat bottom and vertical side edges, a top plate coextensive with the shoe, a cavity being formed between the shoe and the cover, an electric heating element in the cavity which heating element extends throughout the greater portion of the length and width of the shoe, a casing on the top plate well back from the front end thereof, there being a forward deck-like ironing surface at the top of the tool forwardly of the casing provided by the forward portion of the top plate, and a handle secured to said casing and extending rearwardly from near the mid portion of the iron, there also being a thermostat casing on the top plate at least partly within the housing.

2. A tape applying tool of the class described comprising a shoe having an elongated bottom member with marginal sidewalls projecting Vertically from the edges thereof to define a shallow recess open at the top, the outer surfaces of said bottom member and sidewalls providing ironing surfaces respectively at right angles to each other which cooperate in the application of tape to the corner of a structure, an electric heating element positioned within said recess, a coverplate secured to said sidewalls and forming a closure for said recess, a housing for electrical connections to said heating element mounted on said plate and extending from a point adjacent the middle of said plate to a point adjacent the rear thereof, the upper surface of said plate forwardly of said housing providing an additional flat ironing surface for facilitating the application of tape to crevice locations and the like, and a handle secured to said housing for manipulating the tool.

3. A tape applying tool of the class described comprising a shoe having an elongated bottom member with marginal sidewalls projecting vertically from the edges thereof to define a shallow recess open at the top, the cuter surfaces of said bottom member and sidewalls providing ironing surfaces respectively at right angles to each other which cooperate in the application of tape to the corner of a structure, an electric heating element positioned within said recess, a coverplate secured to said sidewall and forming a closure for said recess, a, housing for electrical connections to said heating element mounted on said plate and extending from a point adjacent the middle of said plate to a point adjacent the rear thereof, the upper surface of said plate forwardly of said housing providing an additional fiat ironing surface for facilitating the application of tape to crevice locations and the like, and a member projecting angularlj1 outwardly and rearwardly from a point adjacent the front end of said housing, said member being secured to said housing to provide a handle for manipulating the tool.

ROBERT W. HILLER. WALTER L. DAVIDSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,160,754 Poore Nov. 16, 1915 1,227,736 Beatty May 29, 1917 1,514,074 Barth Nov. 4, 1924 1,563,591 Ruelland Dec. 1, 1925 1,782,005 Grison Nov. 18, 1930 2,214,084 Lovice Sept. 10, 1940 2,218,420 Coppedge Oct. 15, 1940 2,240,913 Roskos May 6, 1941 

